Forget crowded supermarket aisles and checkout queues. At the Phong Dien floating market grocery shopping is a delight, not a downer. From dawn, the Hau River heaves with small rowboats laden with fresh fruit, vegetables and fish from producers in the Mekong Delta food bowl.
Haggle over a bunch of bananas and grab a meal at one of the floating ‘restaurants’ on this remarkable river of trade. The market is smaller than its touristy big cousin at nearby Can Tho, and offers a more intimate experience with fewer motorised boats.
Spectre, the latest instalment in the James Bond franchise, offered Daniel Craig a license to chill. Sky-high restaurant ice Q has some of the best views ever seen from an architecturally inspired glass box, but for the Sam Mendes-directed movie it transformed from haute cuisine hot spot into the mountaintop lair of Christoph Waltz’s villain Blofeld. Situated more than 3000 metres up on the summit of Gaislachkogl in the Austrian resort town of Sölden, the neighbouring snow-covered peaks and glacial tunnel also played host to one of the film’s main action scenes – no spoilers intended. But now that Hollywood has packed up and gone home, hitting the slopes on skis or a board, followed by drinks overlooking Ötztal Alps, is definitely not to be missed.
If you’re suffering from asthma, consider joining the thousands of pilgrims who gather every year at Hyderabad in India to take part in a mass fish-guzzling ceremony. The Bathini Mrugasira Fish are stuffed with a special secret medicinal paste, apparently given to a local family by a holy man more than 150 years ago. The family continues to administer the herbal cure to patients for free, claiming their asthma will be cured after just three years’ of treatment.
You might not think you’d discover a real gourmet treat in a tiny Irish beach town, but creamy gold awaits those who venture to Strandhill in County Sligo. The folks at seaside Mammy Johnston’s have been making gelato for three generations and now its chief ice-cream churner, Neil Byrne, has struck gold in the home of gelato.
At Italy’s Sigep Rimini trade show, which brings artisan bakers, gelato makers and coffee connoisseurs together, he picked up an award for the best honeycomb-flavoured gelato. Seems like these two countries share more than just the first letter of their names.
Few experiences make us cry: the death of a loved one, a Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl, and Will Horowitz’s Pops Pastrami sandwich. The recipe, an updated version of his grandfather’s original concoction, includes house-smoked pastrami, buttermilk-cured pickles and a healthy dose of fresh dill, along with some extra napkins to wipe up your tears of happiness, I mean, your mouth.
You’ll find this delicacy at the East Village delicatessen, Harry & Ida’s Meat and Supply Co, and if you feel the need to weep a little longer in the privacy of your hotel or home, they sell pastrami by the pound, too.
The sandwich tastes even better served with a slice of history.
Ditch the butter chicken and get ready to forget everything you thought you knew about Indian food – right in the heart of downtown Bangkok. Head chef Gaggan Anand has put together a refreshing culinary experience unlike any other you’ll find in this vibrant city. Situated in a stately, whitewashed colonial mansion, Gaggan Restaurant specialises in progressive Indian cuisine – an innovative seasonal approach to the regional dishes and street food of Anand’s homeland.
Enjoy a meal in the bright, airy dining room, from the four-seat ‘library’ full of cookbooks or at the exclusive chef’s table with an intimate view of the kitchen. It may feel cheeky seeking out Indian food in a city full of local delights, but a meal at Gaggan is not to be missed.
Fancy chomping on a crispy tarantula spiced with black pepper and lime sauce? From contemporary creations to long-forgotten recipes, Romdeng in Phnom Penh serves authentic Cambodian cuisine with a twist.
The restaurant is staffed by former street kids and run by Mith Samlanh, an organisation that works with the city’s marginalised youth. Set in a beautiful colonial building, Romdeng is decorated with wood carvings and locally made furniture, and the silk goods and cushions that adorn the restaurant’s interior are all crafted by sewing students at Mith Samlanh.
In the realm of street food it doesn’t get much better than sai oua. For those of you who don’t speak the lingo, that is simply Laos sausage. It’s one of the most popular dishes in the north of the country, and its spicy pork goodness can be found everywhere, including in the food markets popular in both Luang Prabang and Vientiane.
If you’re keen to try it in a sit-down establishment, head to Nangkhambang restaurant on Khoun Boulom Boulevard in Vientiane. This is a popular spot for well-heeled locals (it’s more expensive than the places they’d normally dine), but the staff members are quite used to catering to out-of-towners, too. They do a great Laos snag, but you’ll also find other unique local dishes like frog stuffed with pork and lemongrass, as well as staples including grilled river fish, papaya salad and sticky rice.
If you’re a fan of Anthony Bourdain you may have already heard about Bale Dutung (the name means ‘house of wood’), a family-run restaurant in Angeles City where chef Claude Tayag puts a contemporary spin on traditional Filipino dishes.
There’s a choice of set menus, including one inspired by Bourdain’s visit, serving up dishes like fiddlehead fern salad, lechon (roasted suckling pig) tortilla and sushi of crab fat and catfish. Don’t eat a thing before you get there – you’ll be enjoying about 10 courses – and ensure you book ahead.
A quiet night out is just about the only thing not on the menu at this legendary steak and seafood grill. A Colombian institution, Andrés Carne de Res is a hedonistic powerhouse of eating, drinking, dancing and pure fun located in Chía, about 40 minutes’ drive from the centre of Bogotá (trust us, it’s worth the trip).
Come here if you’re after a festive, high-energy atmosphere to accompany your ceviche and Argentine steaks, and stick around to groove along with a live band or seasoned DJ until the wee hours. Just don’t forget to book – this popular eatery can pack out with more than 1000 people at any one time, almost every night.
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